Jordanian, Israeli meetings on water issues
Jordanian Prime Minister Abdul Raouf al-Rawabdeh has asserted that Jordan is committed to the implementation of the water agreement in the Wadi Araba agreement with Israel.
He reiterated Jordan's rejection of reducing the amount of waters that had been agreed to be transported to his country.
In an interview with Sawt al-Arab radio on Tuesday, the Jordanian prime minister said Israel tries to escape this agreement and to give up its obligations in this respect as well as to create a water crisis with Jordan, under the pretext of the state of the drought prevailing the region.
Earlier the Israeli official in charge of water issue, Meir Ben Meir, announced on Monday that his government will not deliver Jordan its share of 50 million cubic meters of water as agreed upon in the Wadi Araba agreement.
Meetings of the joint Jordanian- Israeli water committee chaired by the secretary of Wadi Araba authority, Dureid Mahasenah, and the Israeli water commissioner, Meir Ben Meir, will resume today in Amman. Negotiations concerning the issue of water were suspended on Sunday when Israel announced it will reduce Jordan's share of water under the pretext of drought.
On Monday, the Jordanian government held a special meeting to discuss the forthcoming water crisis during summertime and the Israeli position which is persistent in reducing by 60% Jordan's share of water.
Following the meeting of the Jordanian Cabinet, Prime Minister Abdul Raouf al-Rawabdeh stressed to journalists Jordan's determination to win back all its rights to the water.
Meanwhile, the Israeli ambassador in Amman, Audid Eiran, said the Jordanian and Israeli sides have to share the "drought and the shortage of water for this year."
In a telephone interview with Jordanian television on Monday night, the Israeli ambassador added that Israel will seek to settle the problem of water with Jordan amicably.
On whether this situation will affect relations between the two sides, the Israeli ambassador said he does not think so, adding that there will be meeting within the few coming days on this issue.
This issue has had great ramifications within Jordan: In this context the Jordanian daily " al-Arab al-Youm asked "Should we give our neck to the devil and resort to its morale and sublimes?" The paper added, "We have signed a treaty with Israel despite the fact that it occupied the land of Jordan and other Arab territories. We have swallowed the question of recognizing Israel and denial of our deprived rights."Also, in its Tuesday's editorial, the Jordanian daily al-Dustour said that Israel violates the Jordanian-Israeli treaty, the same way it suspended the implementation of the Wye River agreement and earlier the Oslo agreement as well as all understandings reached on the Syrian -Lebanese negotiation tracks.